Patrik Laine will miss 3-4 months after having core muscle surgery, the Montreal Canadiens announced Saturday.
The 27-year-old forward hasn’t played since Oct. 16, a 3-2 overtime win against the Nashville Predators. Laine took his last shift with 4:36 remaining in the third period. He was initially listed as day to day with a lower-body injury.
Laine has one assist in five games this season.
Selected with the No. 2 pick by the Winnipeg Jets at the 2016 NHL Draft, Laine has 422 points (224 goals, 198 assists) in 537 regular-season games with the Jets, Columbus Blue Jackets and Canadiens, and 17 points (eight goals, nine assists) in 26 Stanley Cup Playoff games.
Montreal (7-3-0) is first in the Atlantic Division.
“I think we're deep enough that, you know, we're going to still score those on the power play,” coach Martin St. Louis said on Saturday after the Canadiens defeated the Vancouver Canucks 4-3.
